Metal Culvert Response to Earth Loading: Performance of Two-Dimensional Analysis

Abstract

The results of finite-element analyses conducted before and after testing of a 9.5-m span low-profile metal arch culvert are presented here. A two-dimensional procedure that models the elastic-plastic response of both structure and soil during backfilling has been used. A plasticity-based procedure to provide an upper bound for the effect of soil compaction on metal culvert response during side filling is introduced and used in the analysis of field response. The procedure involves application of passive earth pressures after layer placement to simulate the highest values of residual horizontal earth pressure. The pretest and posttest analyses are compared with measurements of field response previously published by Webb et al. Predictions for culvert deformation and bending moments generated during backfilling were excellent. The new procedure to include the effects of compaction during construction was effective in capturing culvert peaking during placement of the side fill and increases in bending moment. Both pre- and posttest predictions for deformation and moment successfully captured the culvert response during burial and the effect of backfill soil density. The posttest predictions include consideration of the top-loading applied during placement of the side fill. The predictions of deflection follow measured values during application and subsequent removal of those temporary surcharge loads. Estimates of soil stresses acting normal to the external surface of the culvert were shown to be close to those measured in the field. The analysis indicates that shear strength is fully mobilized in wedge-shaped zones of the backfill adjacent to the culvert. Those zones diminish in size once backfill is placed over the crown. The residual horizontal earth pressures that are modeled during compaction act to reduce the size of the plastic zones.

Flexible culverts in sloping terrain: Numerical simulation of soil loading effects

“…The elasto-plasticity material model is used because it is well known for granular soil material and at the same time its input parameters are commonly accessible, which might not be the case for higher level material models. In addition, previous studies found it coherent when comparing to field measurements [21][22][23]. The formulation of Mohr-coulomb yield functions is well illustrated in the Plaxis 2D material manual.…”

“…The construction process was simulated by considering the backfilling stages, where the importance lies in monitoring the forces and the deflection during the process, and to maintain those within allowable limits. Earlier studies, for example [23,27], have showed that the soil fill material type and compaction are important issues and have to be modelled carefully in soil steel composite bridges. One of the techniques to simulate the compaction effects is to have a uniform loading activated on each layer of backfill representing the energy dissipated from the compaction operations and to be deactivated once the next layer is placed.…”

“…One of the techniques to simulate the compaction effects is to have a uniform loading activated on each layer of backfill representing the energy dissipated from the compaction operations and to be deactivated once the next layer is placed. This is to account for the change in horizontal earth pressure and volumetric change that occur during compaction [23]. Therefore, a 2 m width uniform load of 25 kN/m is activated for each layer of backfill for all the cases.…”

Effect of truck position and multiple truck loading on response of long-span metal culverts

“…Most of the work reported in the literature employed two-dimensional finite element analysis to study the behavior of long-span metal culverts (e.g., Katona 1978;Abdel-Sayed et al 1993; Moore and Brachman 1994;Taleb and Moore 1999;Morrison 2000;among others). A few studies employed three-dimensional finite element analysis for long-span metal culverts based on orthotropic shell theory and consideration of a single vehicle (Girges and Abdel-Sayed 1995;Moore and Taleb 1999;El-Sawy 2003;Machelski 2004).…”

Numerical Analysis of Corrugated Steel Plate Bridge With Reinforced Concrete Relieving Slab

“…Finite element method and test results indicate that this soil model is insufficient. Taleb and Moore (1999) executed two-dimensional finite element analysis of CSP culvert while using the Coulomb-Mohr soil model. The results were also in the low accuracy level in comparison to experimental tests.…”